1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to disposable covers for face masks, respirators, or the like, which are particularly useful in protecting the respirator in many types of environments without impairing the operation of the respirator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many different types of industrial environments, it is necessary for a worker to wear some type of respirator to avoid breathing contamination in the air of the work environment. To this end, different types of respirators have been devised for providing the worker with uncontaminated breathing air. For example, in a spray paint booth in which paint is sprayed, the worker might wear a half-mask respirator which sealingly conforms around the worker's face and mouth. Such a half-mask respirator would use either filters to allow the worker to breath air filtered from the environment, or the mask would be connected to a source of breathable air derived outside of the contaminated work environment.
In other toxic work environments, it is necessary to additionally protect the eyes of the worker. In such toxic environments, a full-face mask respirator is used which sealingly engages the worker's face along the periphery thereof, to not only supply breathable air to the worker, but also to protect the worker's eyes. Such a full-face mask can also be of the filter type or of the external air supply type.
Regardless of which type of respirator is used by the worker, in many of such work environments particles of the environment often adhere to the outer surface of the respirator and contaminate the respirator inhibiting effective mask operation. Further, contaminant particles, in addition to adhering to the outer surface of the respirator, often lodge in the area of the exhalation valve of the respirator causing inefficient operation. In such particle-ladened work environments, it is therefore necessary to frequently clean the respirator to provide effective operation.
While frequent cleaning of respirators is desirable, many airborne particulates adhere to the respirator and are difficult to remove. The extra time required for cleaning adds manpower costs to the operation. Further, such a contaminated build-up on the outside of the respirator surface deteriorates the useful life of the respirator. Therefore, it would be a significant advance in the art if in such contaminated work environments, the respirator could be protected from the harmful effects of the particles in the environment.